NEWTOWN, Pa. – On Wednesday morning, the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) announced their 2024 MAC Commonwealth women's soccer major award winners and All-MAC Commonwealth teams. The Falcons earned three major awards and 12 All-MAC Commonwealth Selections.
Brittany Laird earned MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Year,
Addi Martin was named MAC Commonwealth Rookie of the Year, and
Scott Frey and the Messiah coaching staff earned MAC Commonwealth Coaching Staff of the Year.
The Falcons earned six first-team selections with
Kristina Akselsen,
Mia Libby,
Julia Martin,
Jenna Skurcenski,
Brittany Laird, and
Addi Martin earning the honors.
Hannah Adair,
Tahlia Lloyd,
Bella Touzeau,
Thea Neimond, and
Bailie Dull all earned second team honors.
Ava Wert also added an All-MAC Honorable Mention honor.
Brittany Laird earned MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team selection after leading the Falcons offense throughout the season. Laird led the Falcons and the MAC Commonwealth with 34 points and 17 goals. Laird also finished tied for first in the MAC Commonwealth with four game-winning goals. Laird also notched a career-high four goals in the Falcons 9-0 win over Stevenson University in the MAC Commonwealth Semifinals.
Addi Martin earned MAC Commonwealth Rookie of the Year and first team honors after an impressive rookie season for the Falcons. Martin finished the season second on the Falcons with 26 points on 10 goals and six assists. After not scoring a point in her first seven games, Martin totaled at least a point in 10 of the last 13 games for the Falcons. Martin also tied Laird for the most game-winning goals in the MAC Commonwealth with four.
Kristina Akselsen earned a first team honor after another season helping lead the Falcons midfield. Akselsen finished the season with 14 points on six goals and two assists. Akselsen did more than just what the stat sheet showed, drawing the attention of opposing defenders that led to many goals for the Falcons throughout the season.
Mia Libby earned first team honors after an impressive sophomore season in the midfield. Libby totaled 10 points on three goals and four assists. Libby started all 18 games she appeared in helping the Falcons control possession through the midfield.
Helping lead the Falcons defense,
Julia Martin earned first team honors. Martin tallied two goals and seven assists on the season. Martin helped the Falcons allow zero goals during MAC Commonwealth play.
Jenna Skurcenski earned first team honors after a dominant season on the Falcons back line. Skurcenski started all 20 games and tallied three assists. Skurcenski was a key part of the Falcons defense that shutout opponents in 14 wins this season.
After a great season on the Falcons forward line,
Hannah Adair earned a second team honor. Adair finished the season second on the Falcons with 11 goals and added an assist. Mainly coming off the bench, Adair provided a spark for the Falcons, including adding two goals in the MAC Commonwealth Championship Game against York.
Tahlia Lloyd also earned a second team nomination after leading the Falcons defensive midfield all season. Lloyd started all 20 games and tallied three goals. Lloyd's impact in the defensive midfield kept other teams from advancing the ball up the field and also often started many offensive possessions for the Falcons.
Bella Touzeau earned second team honors as another leader in the Falcons midfield. Touzeau led the MAC Commonwealth and the Falcons with eight assists. Touzeau also added two goals including the game-winner in the MAC Commonwealth Championship that started the offensive flurry for the Falcons.
Two more defensive leaders for the Falcons earned second team honors, with
Thea Neimond and
Bailie Dull earning the selections. Neimond tallied a goal and five assists on the season, while Dull tallied an assist. Both veteran leaders started all 20 games for the Falcons.
Ava Wert earned an honorable mention honor after an impressive season for the Falcons. With the defense in front of her, Wert still made an impact when it mattered. Wert finished the season with 18 saves, a 0.44 goals against average, and a .720 save percentage. Wert finished the season with six shutouts, including a three-save shutout against No. 3 Misericordia University that helped kick start the Falcons current 15-game win streak.
Scott Frey and the Messiah coaching staff earned MAC Commonwealth Coaching Staff of the Year honors after helping lead the Falcons to a 16-1-3 overall record with a 7-0 record in MAC Commonwealth play. The Falcons earned their 21st conference championship in program history and earned their 24th appearance in program history in the NCAA Tournament. Frey entered the season as the winningest coach in women's soccer NCAA history with a .912 winning percentage. Frey also has 494 career wins, which puts him 11th all-time in NCAA women's soccer history.
